Tonight, 94 persons are detained at both the Raccoon and Queen Street police stations under a State of Emergency. It's the second one in three months and again it's due to an increase in gang related activity. This SOE follows two murders in Belize City and an attack on the Roaring Creek Police Station that almost took the life of a police officer. It encompasses areas of the city and the Cayo District.
Today the Commissioner explained that - like the last SOE - this one is done strategically, and isn't just about rounding up the gang members. Our news team met him in the St Martin's area to ask him about the police department's latest operation. Courtney Menzies has this story.
This morning, a massive deployment of police officers swarmed and stormed the streets of Belize City as another state of emergency was effected. This one not only encompasses the Southside of the city, but also the jungle area of the northside, two areas of Roaring Creek and the entire Cotton Tree village in the Cayo District.
Since the operation began, the ComPol explained that the police have made two arrests and detained over 60 persons.
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"We started our operations since yesterday and we have been able to detain a number of persons who have been wanted for murders, you would have seen on our media blogs we had shared with you the arrest of two individuals, one was arrested for the murder of Elwin Lewis which took place a couple months ago, that person had been on the run for a number of months from us and we were able to locate him yesterday and we also charged I think Marquis Conorque for the murder of the guy, Moore, who was killed on Sunday during the day so those two individuals were captured as a part of this operation and we also detained a number of individuals who the GI3 will be looking at for gang investigation and a number of persons who are wanted by CIB for different investigations as well."
The SOE has also so far led to the discovery of several weapons:
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"The police have recovered a number of firearms and ammunition within the Belize district and the Cayo area. I must say that since we started our operations in the San Ignacio, Santa Elena area, the team there has seized at least about four firearms and a number of ammunitions so it goes to show the work that the police has been doing in those areas to be able to crack down on the issue of crime."
According to the ComPol, the SOE will last for one month in the first instance, and may be extended up to three months.
The ComPol added that all persons detained will not be going to prison, and that that group will be filtered out before they are remanded.
Others are currently being sought for detention.
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